"I was born and raised in Fort Worth, TX. My parents, James and Linda Pixler, were both very involved in church work at an early age. They were both singers and musicians; my dad played the guitar and my mother played the piano. My dad followed in the footsteps of his father (“Pappy” to me) and his two grandfathers, both of whom had begun preaching the gospel from the early days of the Pentecostal revival in the 1920's and 30's. In 1974 my father briefly pastored the church in Fort Worth that my great-grandfather had founded in 1938 and my grandfather had pastored for about 22 years. After that foreshortened tenure, we attended church at another Fort Worth congregation for about six years. Then, in 1980 my father founded the church that I now pastor. The environment of a small home-mission work is what gave me my first opportunity to learn to sing and play music. My musical education was deeply traumatic for those who had to endure it, but I eventually got the hang of it and was able to get through a song without setting the dogs to howling or the saints to wailing. Mostly.

I began preaching under my father's tutelage at age fourteen. They said I was young, and they were right. But God was with me from the start, and I began preaching revivals at fifteen. I went into full-time ministry a couple of years later in August 1988 at the ripe old age of seventeen. My mother wasn't so sure about it, but my dad was insistent that I should be allowed to fulfill my calling and do the work of the Lord. Thank God for their steady encouragement. I evangelized hither and thither for about ten years, preaching youth revivals, camps, retreats, and other functions across the fruited plain (to plagiarize Rush Limbaugh's plagiarism of America, the Beautiful). During this ten-year evangelistic tour, I took a break from the open road for about a year to serve as youth pastor in San Jose, CA at the First United Pentecostal Church, pastored by Bro. Jimmy Shoemake, one of the kindest men in the world. I later assisted my father for a while at the home church in Fort Worth. Then, in July of 1999, I assumed the pastorate of the church where I was raised. Imagine that! And for more than eight years now God has privileged me to serve as pastor to the greatest people in the world. What a blessing!

I evangelized single for about five years. Sad, huh? Then one day the revelation hit me broadside: It's time to get married. What a wonderful revelation. God was gracious to me, for as I was praying one day, He gave me specific direction concerning my desire to get married by telling me specifically, by name, the young lady to whom I should plight my troth. I promptly returned home from the revival I was preaching in Alabama, snuck off to the church that my intended attended (though of course she had no idea that she was my intended), acquired her phone number by clever schemes and careful devices, set forth the tentative suggestion that maybe we should extend civilities beyond that of ordinary friendship, and finally conned her into going out with me on an official date. This mystery lady to whom I refer was one Jeana Kristine Smith, whose father pastored an Apostolic church in McKinney, TX. We went out on our first date in May '93. Soon after, I proposed the outrageous idea that she should forsake all others and cleave to me only in marriage. Thankfully, she didn't think that linking up with me for a lifetime was all that outrageous, and we were married five months after our initial evening of Christian fellowship. Now, that's moving on, brother! But, hey, when you know you have the will of God, why wait? And we are delighted to report to our public, all two of you, that we have been ecstatically, happily married ever after for more than 13 years. Our union has been singularly blessed with two very precious girls, Alaina (10) and Natalie (7), and one little fellow, Nicolas (1), who is now ruling the roost in the Pixler home.

So, what of my distinguished musical career? Well, there's just not much to tell. My wife and kids love my music, but I am not willing to go much further than that. Actually, my musical background goes like this: I was raised listening to gospel music. I grew up on the Rambos, the Happy Goodmans, the Hinsons, and others. My favorite singer was most definitely Kenny Hinson, whom I did my dead level best to imitate, always falling a good deal short of the mark. In fact, when I got ready to record my first album in 1989 it was Kenny Hinson that I called to produce it for me. And he actually agreed to do it. Blew my mind. That album was called Brand New and was released in June 1990. It has been digitally re-mastered and re-released in 2000. I did not record again until 1997 when I released the piano/vocal project Little Bit O' Nothing. Then came Trusting In Him, which was released November 2000, and a devotional piano instrumental called Selah. Next was Mercy, which was released July 2004. My latest project is Walk With Me and Dedication both released this year.  Get them both. Today. Right now. In fact, buy one of everything. We take credit cards. The Lord will provide. Click here to purchase.

Now, that's my story and I'm sticking to it."